Mounting and demounting press



March 24, 1959 K. Y. RYAN ETAL 2,878,559

MOUNTING AND DEMOUNTING PRESS Filed Oct. 2. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS, KENNETH Y. RYAN WILUAM d. WATERS ATTORNEYS March 24, 1959 K. Y. RYAN ETAL MOUNTING AND DEMOUNTING PRESS 4 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Oct. 2, 1956 INVENTORS.

KE NNETH Y. RYAN BY WILLIAM J.WATERS ATTORNEYS March 24, 1959 K. Y. RYAN ET AL.

MOUNTING AND DEMOUNTING PRESS Filed Oct.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS KENNETH Y. RYAN WILUAM J. WATERS W @M ATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 K. Y. RYAN ETAL MOUNTING AND DEMOUNTING PRESS March 24, 1959 Filed Oct. 2, 1956' INVENTORJ. KENNETH Y. RYAN ATTORNEYS WILLIAM ,J.WATERS BY United States Patent MOUNTING AND DEMOUNTING PRESS Kenneth Y. Ryan, Livingston, and William J. Waters,

Elizabeth, N.J., assignors to Farrel-Birmingham Company, Inc., Ansonia, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 2, 1956, Serial No. 613,568

7 Claims. (Cl. 29-252) .The present invention relates generally to improveice , important aspect of the invention lies in the use. of a ments in railroad wheel presses and more particularly to a press capable of carrying out both mounting and demounting operations efliciently and at high speed.

In existing machines for pressing railroad wheels onto an axle or to remove the wheels therefrom it has been necessary when shifting over from a mounting to a demounting operation to uncouple, move or adjust certain heavy and cumbersome components of the machine. In some instances it has also been necessary to remove the railroad axle from the press after mounting or demounb ing the first of the two wheels, the axle then being reversed and returned to the press to continue work on the second wheel.

These difficult adjustments, which are required in conventional presses, serve to slow down mounting and demounting operations and represent a material drawback in installations calling for high speed production. Moreover, it is not possible with standard'presses to roll a wheel set into one side of the press for a mounting or demounting operation and thereafter to roll the set out of the other side of the press in a straight-through production process. The limitations of conventional presses constitute a bottleneck in wheel set operation and militate against automation of production activities.

In one known form of mounting press, the wheel set is supported on an elevator between a hydraulic cylinder and an abutment. The two wheels are seated on dollies carried by the table of the elevator which is adapted to raise the assembly to a working position. While a press of this type is suitable for mounting operations, it cannot accommodate demounting operations which entail movement of the abutment to a mid-position between the rear stand and the cylinder. The reason for this is that the standard elevator structure precludes movement of the abutment. Consequently, shouldit be necessary to demount a wheel, this operation would have to be performed in another press.

In view of the foregoing, it is the main object of this invention to provide a press adapted for both mounting and demounting operations wherein the abutment of the press may readily be shifted relative to trolleys for supporting the railroad wheels so as to carry out either type of operation. A significant feature of this invention resides in the fact that the elevator for supporting the wheels is designed to allow for movement of the abutment through the surface of the elevator whereby the wheel press can be used for straight-through mounting of railroad sets and still accommodate demounting operations. The abutment may be moved through the surface of the elevator without regard to whether it occupies a raised or lowered position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mounting and demounting wheel press which the various' operations may be carried out without removing, raising or re-positioning the axle inthe press. Another swing-out device to remove production mounting tool; ing from the gap of the abutment, and thereby immediately clear the gap for a demounting operation A further object of the invention is to provide a wheel press of rugged construction, efficient operation and high productive capacity designed to meet the heavy duty requirements encountered in railroad shop operations. A mounting and demounting press in accordance with the invention is capable of handling all standard sizes of freight, passenger, truck, trailer, roller bearing and diesel wheel sets on a high production basis.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, refcrenceiis made'to the following detailed description, to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like figures in the several views are identified by like reference numerals.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a railroad wheel mounting and demounting press in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view limited to the ole vator mechanismforming part of the press shown, in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the structure shown in .Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of another preferred embodiment of a press according to the invention in which an elevator is omitted; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane of line 5-5 in Fig. 4 showing the swing-out device for re moving mounting tooling equipment from the gap of the abutment.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. l, the wheel press in accordance with the invention comprises a hydraulic cylinder 10, supported on a vertical beam 11. Beam 11 constitutes the front end of a rigid frame formed by an upper tie rod 12, a lower tie rod 13 and a rear stand 14. The frame rests across a heavy masonry foundation 15 provided with a pit 16 in which is seated an elevator or jack mechanism, gen erally designated by numeral 17.

Supported vertically between the upper and lower tie rods 12 and 13 is an abutment member 18, the longitudinal position of the abutment on the tie being adjustable from the position shown in Fig. 1 for carrying out mouuting operations to-a position substantially midway. be tween rear stand 14 and front beam 11 to perform demounting operations. The abutment may be provided with rollers engaging the tie rodto facilitate shifting. As will be explained later in greater detail, lower tie rod 13 extends through the surface of elevator 17, the elevator design freely permitting the desired movement of the abutment along the tie rod.

Abutment 18 is provided with a central gap 19 in which is normally contained an air cylinder 20 for reciprocating a spacer block 21. This block operates within the hollow of a yoke member 22 projecting from the front end of gap 19. Affixed to the head of yoke 22 is a hub pusher ring 23. The air cylinder 20, the spacer block 21 and the yoke 22 constitute wheel-mounting tooling which in mounting operation covers the gap in the abutment. However, for demounting operations, as will later be explained in connection with Figs. 4 and 5, a swing-out device is arranged to withdraw the tooling and thereby free the abutment gap to accommodate a Wheel axle.

Cylinder 10 is hydraulically operated in the usual manner to drive a ram 24 on the end of which is attached a yoke 25, similar in design to yoke 22 and also havingan air-operated spacer block 26 insertable therein by air cylinder means 21'. A hub pusher ring 27 is attached to the head of the yoke 25 which in mounting operation bears against the hub'of the wheel to apply pressure thereto forcing it onto the axle.

The press is adapted to mount or demount a wheel set, such as that illustrated in Fig. 1, consisting of an axle 28 and two railroad wheels 29 and 30. In mounting opcrations, the wheel set may be brought in on rails down a ramp onto the table or platform of elevator 17. The wheels are received on trolleys or dollies 31 and 32 which ride on a trackway, generally designated by numeral 33, laid on the elevator table so that the wheels might move relative to each other axially of the axle during mounting operation. This also holds true for demounting, which will be later described.

Initially, when the unmounted wheels are rolled into the press, the axle 28 is centered between the cylinder and the abutment 18,while ;the yokes 22 and 25 are spaced from the wheels, an d the spacer blocks 21 and 26 are separated from the endsof the axle. To first mount the right hand wheel ,30,,the left spacer block 21 is-;;6Xtended to abutthe end of axle 28 and thereby prevent axial movement thereof in the direction of the abutment, whereas the right spacer block 26 is retracted by air cylinder means 26' to permit the yoke 25 to press against the hub of the right wheel, the end of the axle passing into the hollow of the yoke. The ram 24 is then operated by cylinder 10 to push yoke 25 against the hub of the right wheel and thereby force it on the axle.

To mount the left wheel 29, the right spacer block 26 is put into position and the left spacer block 21 is re tracted so that the hub on the right wheel 30 is separated from the yoke 25 whereas the hub of the left wheel 29 bears against left yoke 22. When now the ram is operated, the axle 28 is driven by the right spacer block 26 toward the abutment whereby the axle is forced into the left wheel held against yoke 22.

In demounting operations, the mounting tooling is withdrawn-from the gap 19 of the abutment and the abutment is moved to the mid-point of the press frame whereby the axle extends through the gap and the wheels are disposed on either side of the abutment. To support the wheels on the elevator during demounting operation, a third trolley 34 is provided which during mounting operations is positioned out of the way to the left beyond the abutment 18, the third trolley riding on an extension of the trackway.

For demounting operation, the first trolley 31 is moved out of:,the, way to the right, the second trolley 32 is shifted to the right to support the right-hand wheel 30 on one side of the abutment, which is now at the midposition, and the third trolley 34 is shifted to occupy the positionpreviously taken by trolley 32, thereby to support the left-hand wheel 29 atthe other side of the abutment. Bycausing the spacer block 26 to drive the axle toward the left, the axle is forced out of the hub of the wheel which, bears against the stationary abutment, thus stripping ,the axle.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 which show the details of the elevator in accordance with the invention, it will be seen that the table or platform of the elevator is constituted by two spaced vertical frame members 36 and 37 held together by a horizontal beam 38, the table being adjustably supported above three jack cylinders 39, 40 and 41.

Each frame member, as for example member 36 seen in Fig;=3, includes vertical side plates 42 and 43 and a trough-shaped connecting wall 44 on whose opposing ridges 44a and 44b the trackway 33 is supported. The trackway is constituted by two channel-shaped rail elements 45 and 46 on which ride. the rollers 47 and 48 of the dolly or trolley, such astrolley 32.

The lower tie rod 13 on which the abutment 18 is supported extends through the cavity formed by trough 44 .onthe frame member, the depth of the cavity being sufficient to permit elevation of the trolley to a desired maximum height without interference with the tie rod. Thus, it is possible to move the abutment through the surface of the elevator regardless of the position of the elevator table.

For feeding work to the press, an inlet ramp 49 is pivotally mounted at one end on the foundation, the other end resting on the vertical frame plate 42. Similarly, an outlet ramp 50 is pivotally mounted at one end of the foundation, the other end resting on the vertical frame plate 43 for discharging work from the press. The inclination of the ramps will, of course, vary, depending on the position of the elevator table.

The elevator jacks are operated, as shown in Fig. l, by a drive shaft 51 on which pinions are secured cooperating with racks aflixed to the surface of pistons movable in the three cylinders. As best seen in Fig. 3 in connection with jack cylinder 38, movable therein is a piston 52 having a rack 53 secured longitudinally thereon, which rack intermeshes with a pinion 54 driven by shaft 51.

The lower limit of the elevator movement is determined by a stop nut 55 positioned within the jack cylinder below the piston and threadably received on a bolt 56 which extends through a bore in the lower end of the piston.

Rotation of the bolt 56 will vary the height of the stop nut 55, this being accomplished by means of a bevel gear 57 attached to the lower end of the bolt and engaging a gear 58 which is rotated by a continuous chain 59 operated by a manual wheel 60. Thus, the operator, by turning wheel 60, may lower or raise the stop nut position, as desired.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is shown another embodiment of the invention in which the press is generally identical to that shown in Fig. 1 save that the elevator is omitted. The mounting and demounting press comprises the cylinder 10, the abutment 18 and the lower tie rod 13.

In lieu of the elevators, trolleys 61, 62 and 63 are provided which ride on a trackway 64 laid in a shallow pit 65 below the press. Vertically mounted on the trolleys are pedestals 66, 67 and 68, respectively, which clear the lower tie rod 13. Surmounting the pedestals are saddles 69, 70 and 71 which are designed to receive the wheels of the set.

The operation of this device during mounting and demounting is along the same lines as with that in Fig. 1. The n'olleys 61 and 62 are employed for mounting a wheel set, the abutment occupying the position shownin Fig. 4. When shifting over to demounting, trolley 61' is set aside to the right, trolley 62 is moved to the position previously occupied by trolley 61, the abutment 18 'is shifted to the mid-position and trolley 63 is shifted to the position previously held by trolley 62. Thus, the wheels during demounting are supported by trolleys 62 and 63 on either side of the abutment.

As pointed out previously, the mounting tooling must be removed from the gap 19 of the abutment during demounting. This is accomplished, as shown in Fig. 5, by a multi-seetion linkage arm 72 pivotally connected to the rear rib of the abutment and so designed as to assume a crooked shape when the, tooling is in place in the gap. When the tooling is withdrawn, the linkage is fully extended laterally from the abutment, as shown in dotted lines in the figure.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the press in accordance with the invention is highly flexible in its operating characteristic and can be readily converted from mounting to demounting without difficulty. The use, of three trolleys, in place of the conventional twotrolley arrangement, makes possible the proper support of the wheel set in either mounting or demounting operation.

While there has been shown what are at present 0011- -si dered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it

will be apparent that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential spirit of the invention. It is intended in the accompanying claims to cover all such changes as fall within the true scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mounting and demounting wheel press fora wheel set including an axle and two wheels thereon comprising a hydraulic cylinder, a frame including upper and lower horizontal tie rods, said cylinder being mounted vertically between said rods at one end thereof, an abutment mounted vertically between said rods and shiftable from a first position adjacent the other end of said rods to a second mid-point position, said abutment having a central gap, first and second trolleys disposed between said abutment and said cylinder, and a third trolley disposed between said abutment and said other end of said frame, said first and second trolleys being capable of supporting the wheels of a set during mounting operations, said second and third trolleys being capable of supporting saidwheels during. demounting operation, said abutment and said cylinder being each provided with a yoke for applying pressure to the hub of a wheel and means disposed within said yoke to engage the related end of said axle, said abutment yoke and engaging means covering said gap during mounting operation and constituting mounting tooling, and a swinging device supporting said tooling on said abutment and adapted to swing away said tooling to clear said gap for demounting operation.

2. A mounting and demounting press for a wheel set having an axle and two wheels thereon, said press comprising a hydraulic cylinder, a frame including upper and lower horizontal tie rods, said cylinder being mounted vertically between the front end of said rods, an abutment mounted vertically between said rods and shiftable from a mounting position adjacent the rear end of said rods to a demounting position midway between said rear end and said cylinder, said abutment having a central gap, said abutment and said cylinder being each provided with a yoke for applying pressure to the hub of a Wheel and means disposed within each yoke to engage the related end of said axle, said abutment yoke and the engaging means therein covering said gap during mounting operation and together constituting mounting tooling, means to swing said tooling away from said abutment gap to clear same for demounting, an elevator disposed below said frame and including a table having a trackway thereon extending in the direction of said lower tie rod and trolleys riding on said trackway, said table having a longitudinal passageway through which said lower tie rod extends, said passageway having a depth permitting movement of said abutment on said lower rod regardless of the elevational position of said table.

3. A mounting and demounting press for a wheel set including an axle and two wheels thereon, said press cornprising a hydraulic cylinder, a frame including upper and lower horizontal tie rods and a vertical rear stand connected to the rear end of said rods, said cylinder being mounted vertically between the front end of said rods, an abutment mounted vertically between said rods and shiftable from a mounting position adjacent said rear stand to a demounting position midway between said stand and said cylinder, said abutment having a central gap, said abutment and said cylinder being each provided with a yoke for applying pressure to the hub of a wheel and means disposed within each yoke to engage the related end of said axle, said abutment yoke and the engaging means therein covering said gap during mounting operation and together constituting mounting tooling, means to swing said tooling away from said abutment gap to clear same for demounting, an elevator disposed below said frame and including a table having a trackway thereon extending in the direction of said rods and three trolleys, two of said trolleys being disposed between said abutment and said cylinder and the third trolley between said abutment and said stand, said table. having a longitudinal passageway through which said lower tie rod extends, said passageway having a depth permitting movement-of said abutment on said lower rod regardless of the elevational position of said table.

4. A mounting and demounting press for a wheel set including an axle and two wheels thereon, said press comprising a hydraulic cylinder, a frameincluding upper and lower horizontal tie rods and a vertical rear stand connected to the rear end of said rods, said cylinder being mounted vertically between the front end of said rods, an abutment mounted vertically between said rods and shiftable from a mounting position adjacent said rear stand to a demounting position midway between said stand and said cylinder, said abutment having a central gap, said abutment and said cylinder being each provided with a yoke for applying pressure to the hub of a wheel and means disposed within each yoke to engage the related end of said axle, said abutment yoke and the engaging means therein covering said gap during mounting operation and together constituting mounting tooling, means to swing said tooling away from said abutment gap to clear same for demounting, an elevator disposed below said frame and including a table having a two-rail trackway thereon extending in the direction of said rods and three trolleys, two of said trolleys being disposed between said abutment and said cylinder and the third trolley between said abutment and said stand, said table having a longitudinal passageway through which said lower tie rod extends, said passageway having a depth permitting movement of said abutment on said lower rod regardless of the elevational position of said table, said table being constituted by a pair of spaced vertical frame members and a trough-shaped connecting wall having opposing ridges for supporting the respective rails of said trackway, said trough providing said passageway.

5. A mounting and demounting press for a wheel set including an axle and two wheels thereon, said press comprising a hydraulic cylinder, a frame including upper and lower horizontal tie rods and a vertical rear stand connected to the rear end of said rods, a vertical beam mounting said cylinder between the front end of said rods, a ram operable in said cylinder, a yoke mounted on the end of said ram for pressing against the hub of a wheel, an air-operated spacer block movable within said yoke to engage one end of said axle, an abutment mounted vertically between said rods and shiftable from a mounting position adjacent said rear stand to a demounting position midway between said stand and said cylinder, said abutment including a central gap, a yoke projecting from said abutment and covering said gap, a

second air-operated spacer block disposed within said abutment yoke, an elevator disposed below said frame and including a table having a trackway thereon extending in the direction of said rods and three trolleys, two of said trolleys being disposed between said abutment and said cylinder and the third trolley between said abutment and said stand, said table having a longitudinal passageway through which said lower tie rod extends, said passageway having a depth permitting movement of said abutment on said lower rod regardless of the elevational position of said table, said yoke and spacer block on said abutment constituting mounting tooling and means to swing said tooling away from said gap to clear same for demounting.

6. A mounting and demounting press for a wheel set including an axleand two wheels thereon, said press comprising a hydraulic cylinder, a frame including upper and lower horizontal tie rods, said cylinder being mounted vertically between the front end of the rods, an abutment mounted vertically between the rods and shiftable from a mounting position adjacent the rear end of said rods to a demounting position about midway between said rear end and said cylinder, said abutment having a central gap, said abutment and said cylinder being each provided with a yoke' for applying pressure to. the, hub'ot atwheel and means disposed within each yoke to engage the re lated end of said axle, said abutment yoke and the .en-. gaging means therein covering said gap during mounting operation and together constituting mounting tooling, means to swing said tooling away from said abutment gap to clear same for demounting, a trackway positioned below said lower rod and parallel therewith, three trolleys slideable on said trackway, two being disposed between said abutment and said cylinder and the third between said abutment and said stand, pedestals mounted vertically on said trolleys and extending above and clearing said lower tie rod, and means surmounting' said pedestals to support said wheels.

7. A mounting and demounting press for. awheelz-set including an axle and two wheels thereon, said presseorn prising a hydraulic cylinder, a frame including uppenand lower horizontal tie rods, and a vertical rear stand eon: neeted to the rear .end of the, rods, said cylinder. being mounted vertically between the front end of the rods, an abutment mounted vertically between the rods and shiftable from a mounting position adjacent saidrear stand to a demounting position about midway between said stand and said cylinder, said abutment having a central gapgsaid abutment and said cylinder being each provided with a yoke for applying pressure to the hub of a wheel and means disposed within eachyoke to engage the related end of said axle, said abutment yoke and the engaging means therein covering said gap duringmounting operation and together constituting mounting tooling, means to swing said tooling away from said abutment gap to clear same for demounting, a trackway positioned below said lower rod and parallel therewith, three trolleys slideable on said trackway, two being disposed between said abutment and said cylinder and the third between said abutment and said stand, pedestals mounted vertically on. said trolley and extending above and clearing said lower tie rod, and saddles surmounting said pedestals to support said wheels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,229 Filder Sept. 12,1905 1,054,557 Jensenius Feb. 25, 1913 1,091,457 Longaker Mar. 24, 1914 1,114,708 Longaker Oct. 20, 1914 1,196,963 Mahr Sept. 5, 1916 

